Another FIR against ex-CM’s aide who cheated bizmen, took money for contracts

DEHRADUN: A fresh first information report (FIR) has been registered against eight people including a former private secretary of Uttarakhand chief minister Pushkar Singh Dhami on charges of cheating a Delhi-based businessman.

Prakash Chand Upadhyay, a former aide to the chief minister, faces multiple FIRs over accusations that he persuaded businessmen to pay him lakhs of rupees for getting Uttarakhand government contracts and didn’t deliver on his promises.

The latest FIR was registered at Kotwali police station in Dehradun on March 9 against Upadhyay on a complaint by Manik Khullar, a resident of Jor Bagh in Delhi. The FIR was registered under sections 120-B (criminal conspiracy) and 420 (Cheating and dishonestly inducing delivery of property) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) on the complaint of Manik Khullar, a resident of Jor Bagh in Delhi.

Police said the seven others named in the FIR were identified as Ashu More, an assistant sub inspector in Delhi police, Anjelina Claudina More, Saurabh Vats, Nandini Vats, Karnveer, Shahrukh Khan, and Shivam Vats.

“We have registered a case against eight accused. Our investigation into the matter is underway,” Chandrabhan Singh, station house officer at Kotwali police station, said.

In his complaint, Khullar said Ashu More, a police officer in Delhi who was his acquaintance, and the other accused promised him government contracts worth ₹1.5crore in each of Uttarakhand’s 13 districts for a one-time “investment” of ₹30 lakh.

Khullar said he met Upadhyay at the state secretariat in this context and got him to sign on a bunch of papers, ostensibly the paperwork for the contract in March 2023. The businessman said he paid ₹48 lakh for the tender and later, was deceived into paying more money to get a contract for solar street lights. In all, the accused defrauded him of ₹70 lakh.

Two FIRs were registered in August 2023 against Prakash Chand Upadhyay, and four others for allegedly cheating people who were promised award of government tenders.

In one complaint, Patiala resident Rajat Parashar alleged that the accused cheated him of around ₹1 crore and when he demanded that they return the money, he was threatened.

Another Patiala resident Sanjeev Kuma alleged Upadhyay promised to get him a government tender and took around ₹ 3 crore from him and his associates.

Upadhyay was arrested by the state police in March 2024. A few days later, Dehradun Police invoked Gangsters Act against Prakash Chand Upadhyay and three others to confiscate their illegally earned properties.